scholarly journals A Meta-Analysis of Critical Causes of Project Delay Using Spearman's Rank and Relative Importance Index Integrated Approach

Author(s):  
Qais Amarkhil ◽  
Emad Elwakil ◽  
Bryan Hubbard

This Meta-Analysis has examined the past ten years' studies concerning the causes of construction project delay. It aims to update the subject area and investigate critical causes of project delay in three different conditions of the external environment. The data from 50 studies have been analyzed and synthesized to determine the top ten critical causes of delay. The Relative Importance Index (RII) technique was applied to rank the critical causes; subsequently, the Spearman's Rank correlation coefficient was calculated to evaluate the critical causes. The review findings indicate substantial differences between the critical causes of project delay in defined situations. The top ten critical causes of delay in developed countries root in the project's internal environment. The leading causes of delays in developing countries are from the project's internal and task environment.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Valizadeh ◽  
Elham Barati ◽  
Mohammad Ali Sahraian ◽  
Mohammad Reza Fattahi ◽  
Mana Moassefi

Abstract Introduction: As the role of neurodegeneration in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) has become more prominent, the formation and evolution of chronic or persistent T1-hypointense lesions (Black Holes) have been used as markers of axonal loss and neuronal destruction to measure disease activity. However, findings regarding this subject are controversial. In this study we aim to clarify the level of importance of T1 hypointense lesions for estimating the prognosis of patients.Methods: We will search MEDLINE (through PubMed), Embase and Web of Science for relevant studies. We will extract the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (SRCC) between the T1 hypointense lesion volume and Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) in participants. All included studies will be evaluated for the risk of bias. We will also perform a meta-analysis on the data. The risk of publication bias will be evaluated using Funnel plots. Finally, we will assess the confidence in cumulative evidence using an adapted version of GRADE.


Author(s):  
Kranti kumar Myneni

Delays can be well-defined as the escalation of the stipulated time for the completion of the project. Delay is always the major loss to any construction project. In construction projects delay is a very usual thing and it can have an adverse effect on the project’s time and cost. As construction is one of the largest economic activity in India, the effects of delay are still in millions, which surely decreases the GDP of the country. Delay makes the process tardy and management of delay is extremely challenging as most of the projects do not meet the expected requirement and fails to perform within time. Therefore, various types and causes of delays should be studied accurately. There are many researches on construction delays but they talk about the wide-ranging reasons of delay, so there stays a high requirement of a notable and feasible study on delays at different stages of construction process in India. The aim of the paper is to identify the causes of delays at different stages of construction through questionnaire survey in Indian construction industry. Analytical tools used in this research are relative importance index (RII) and spearman’s rank correlation coefficient to rank the sources of delay with respect to its occurrence in the various stages of the construction project. The study concludes based on the correlation coefficient analysis between the construction stages, that the delays associated with before-construction stage is least related, with after-construction stage is third highly related, with construction stage is second highly related and delays associated with average/overall construction is highly related.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (21) ◽  
pp. 6894
Author(s):  
Tomasz Rokicki ◽  
Piotr Bórawski ◽  
Barbara Gradziuk ◽  
Piotr Gradziuk ◽  
Aldona Mrówczyńska-Kamińska ◽  
...  

The paper’s main purpose is to identify the differentiation and variation of electricity prices for households in EU countries. The specific objectives are to highlight the directions and differentiation of price changes in EU states, determine the degree of volatility (or stability) of electricity rates, and establish the correlation between electricity prices for household consumers and economic and energy parameters. All members of the European Union were chosen for this project as of 31 December 2019 (28 countries). The analyzed period covered the years 2008–2019. The source of collected information was the thematic literature review and the data from Eurostat. Descriptive, tabular and graphical methods, constant-based dynamics indicators, coefficient of variation, Kendall’s tau correlation coefficient, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient were used to analyze and present the materials. It was determined that higher electricity prices for households in the EU states were associated with better economic parameters. Developed countries must have higher energy rates because they will ensure energy transformation, i.e., implementing energy-saving technologies. In the EU, electricity prices for household consumers showed little volatility, but that variability increased in line with the surge of the volume of household energy consumption.


2014 ◽  
Vol 112 (4) ◽  
pp. 1167-1172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keizo Takao ◽  
Tsuyoshi Miyakawa

The use of mice as animal models has long been considered essential in modern biomedical research, but the role of mouse models in research was challenged by a recent report that genomic responses in mouse models poorly mimic human inflammatory diseases. Here we reevaluated the same gene expression datasets used in the previous study by focusing on genes whose expression levels were significantly changed in both humans and mice. Contrary to the previous findings, the gene expression levels in the mouse models showed extraordinarily significant correlations with those of the human conditions (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient: 0.43–0.68; genes changed in the same direction: 77–93%; P = 6.5 × 10−11 to 1.2 × 10−35). Moreover, meta-analysis of those datasets revealed a number of pathways/biogroups commonly regulated by multiple conditions in humans and mice. These findings demonstrate that gene expression patterns in mouse models closely recapitulate those in human inflammatory conditions and strongly argue for the utility of mice as animal models of human disorders.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Valizadeh ◽  
Elham Barati ◽  
Mohammad Ali Sahraian ◽  
Mohammad Reza Fattahi ◽  
Mana Moassefi

Abstract Introduction: As the role of neurodegeneration in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) has become more prominent, the formation and evolution of chronic or persistent T1-hypointense lesions (Black Holes) have been used as markers of axonal loss and neuronal destruction to measure disease activity. However, findings regarding this subject are controversial. In this study we aim to clarify the level of importance of T1 hypointense lesions for estimating the prognosis of patients.Methods: We will search MEDLINE (through PubMed), Embase and Web of Science for relevant studies. We will extract the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (SRCC) between the T1 hypointense lesion volume and Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) in participants. All included studies will be evaluated for the risk of bias. We will also perform a meta-analysis on the data. The risk of publication bias will be evaluated using Funnel plots. Finally, we will assess the confidence in cumulative evidence using an adapted version of GRADE.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Jiang ◽  
Peian Lou ◽  
Xiaoluo Chen ◽  
Chenguang Wu ◽  
Shihe Shao

Abstract Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is mainly affected by genetic and environmental factors; however, the correlation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) with T2DM remains largely unknown. Methods Microarray analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed lncRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in patients with T2DM and healthy controls, and the expression of two candidate lncRNAs (lnc-HIST1H2AG-6 and lnc-AIM1-3) were further validated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to measure the degree of association between the two candidate lncRNAs and differentially expressed mRNAs. Furthermore, the KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway and GO (Gene Ontology) enrichment analysis were used to reveal the biological functions of the two candidate lncRNAs. Additionally, multivariate logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed. Results The microarray analysis revealed that there were 55 lncRNAs and 36 mRNAs differentially expressed in patients with T2DM compared with healthy controls. Notably, lnc-HIST1H2AG-6 was significantly upregulated and lnc-AIM1-3 was significantly downregulated in patients with T2DM, which was validated in a large-scale qRT-PCR examination (90 controls and 100 patients with T2DM). Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient revealed that both lncRNAs were correlated with 36 differentially expressed mRNAs. Furthermore, functional enrichment (KEGG and GO) analysis demonstrated that the two lncRNA-related mRNAs might be involved in multiple biological functions, including cell programmed death, negative regulation of insulin receptor signal, and starch and sucrose metabolism. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that lnc-HIST1H2AG-6 and lnc-AIM1-3 were significantly correlated with T2DM (OR = 5.791 and 0.071, respectively, both P = 0.000). Furthermore, the ROC curve showed that the expression of lnc-HIST1H2AG-6 and lnc-AIM1-3 might be used to differentiate patients with T2DM from healthy controls (area under the ROC curve = 0.664 and 0.769, respectively). Conclusion The profiles of lncRNA and mRNA were significantly changed in patients with T2DM. The expression levels of lnc-HIST1H2AG-6 and lnc-AIM1-3 genes were significantly correlated with some features of T2DM, which may be used to distinguish patients with T2DM from healthy controls and may serve as potential novel biomarkers for diagnosis in the future.


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 769
Author(s):  
Yuko Hara ◽  
Kenichi Goda ◽  
Shinichi Hirooka ◽  
Takehiro Mitsuishi ◽  
Masahiro Ikegami ◽  
...  

We previously reported that superficial non-ampullary duodenal tumors (SNADETs) commonly had a whitish mucosal surface, named milk-white mucosa (MWM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of MWM with epithelial intracellular lipid droplets (immunohistochemically stained by adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP)) and histological tumor grades. We reviewed endoscopic images and the histopathology of SNADETs resected en bloc endoscopically. We analyzed the correlation between the positive rates of endoscopic MWM in preoperative endoscopy and resected specimens, and ADRP-positive rates in the resected specimens. Associations between the MWM-positive rates and tumor grades, high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN)/intramucosal carcinoma (IC), and low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN) were analyzed. All the 92 SNADETs analyzed were <20 mm and histologically classified into 39 HGIN/IC and 53 LGIN. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient showed a significant correlation between MWM-positive and ADRP-positive rates (p < 0.001). MWM-positive rates were significantly lower in the HGIN/IC than in the LGIN in preoperative endoscopy (p < 0.001) and resected specimens (p = 0.02). Our results suggest that endoscopic MWM is closely associated with epithelial intracellular lipid droplets and that the MWM-positive rate may be a predictor of histological grade in small SNADETs.


2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (02) ◽  
pp. 209-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luana Berwig ◽  
Ana da Silva ◽  
Eliane Corrêa ◽  
Eliane Serpa ◽  
Rodrigo Ritzel

Summary Introduction: Hyperplasia of the pharyngeal tonsil is one of the main causes of mouth breathing, and accurate diagnosis of this alteration is important for proper therapeutic planning. Therefore, studies have been conducted in order to provide information regarding the procedures that can be used for the diagnosis of pharyngeal obstruction. Objective: To verify the correlation between nasopharyngoscopy and cephalometric examinations in the diagnosis of pharyngeal tonsil hyperplasia. Method: This was a cross-sectional, clinical, experimental, and quantitative study. Fifty-five children took part in this study, 30 girls and 25 boys, aged between 7 and 11 years. The children underwent nasofibropharyngoscopic and cephalometric evaluation to determine the grade of nasopharyngeal obstruction. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient at the 5% significance level was used to verify the correlation between these exams. Results: In the nasopharyngoscopy evaluation, most children showed grade 2 and 3 hyperplasia of the pharyngeal tonsil, which was followed by grade 1. In the cephalometry assessment, most children showed grade 1 hyperplasia of the pharyngeal tonsil, which was followed by grade 2. A statistically significant regular positive correlation was observed between the exams. Conclusion: It was concluded that the evaluation of the pharyngeal tonsil hyperplasia could be carried out by fiber optic nasopharyngoscopy and cephalometry, as these examinations were regularly correlated. However, it was found that cephalometry tended to underestimate the size of the pharyngeal tonsil relative to nasopharyngoscopy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Urszula Kaczmarek ◽  
Wojciech Kowalczyk ◽  
Dariusz Gozdowski ◽  
Dorota Olczak-Kowalczyk

Introduction. The use of age- and risk-adjusted caries prevention requires up-to-date knowledge on the cariostatic effects of fluoride, as well as the methods and safety of fluoride prophylaxis. Aim. The aim of the study was to assess dentists’ knowledge of the safety and mechanism of anticaries effects of fluoride. Material and methods. An anonymous questionnaire was conducted among 212 dentists participating in dental training. The questions included in the questionnaire related to knowledge about water fluoridation, fluoride cariostatic mechanisms and the safety of fluoride prophylaxis. The chi-square test and the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. A significance level of 0.05 was used. Results. Incorrect knowledge about water fluoridation was demonstrated by 26.9% of respondents in the country and 16.0% of respondents in Europe. Most respondents (80.7%) reported higher efficacy of exogenous vs endogenous anticaries approaches, and more than half of respondents (59.0%) considered the processes of remineralisation and demineralisation as the most important anticaries activity. Almost all respondents (95.7%) agreed that the use of fluoride for caries prevention is controversial, mainly due to its dose-dependent therapeutic or toxic effects (85.4%). According to about 20% of respondents, cariostatic fluoride doses have adverse effects on the general health, mainly in the form of bone fragility (10.4%). Conclusions. Lack of correct knowledge about the dominant cariostatic effects of fluoride may result in the choice of an inappropriate preventive method or avoiding local application of fluoride preparations for fear of adverse systemic effects, which may in turn lead to increased caries prevalence in a given population.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-428
Author(s):  
Danwen Bao ◽  
Xiaoling Zhang ◽  
Jiayu Gu

To scientifically and accurately evaluate the status of the development of green airports in China, evaluation methods of green, ecological airports are established in this paper. To address the shortcomings in subjective and objective weighting methods, we propose a combination weighting method based on Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and evaluation grades based on interval approximation. At the same time, by taking into account resource conservation, environmental friendliness, operation efficiency, and people-oriented service, we propose an evaluation index system and an interval number for each index. Lastly, the theory is applied to five large airports in different regions of China. Analysis of the evaluation results shows that Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) have the highest scores for the resource conservation and environmental friendliness indexes, thus indicating that the development of a green ecological airport is closely related to its passenger transportation scale and economic strength. All considered airports showed the need for upgrading public  service facilities and constructing intelligent equipment. The method proposed in this paper is reasonable  and reliable; therefore, it can provide guidance for the evaluation and construction of green, ecological  airports.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document